Apparatus for applying thrust to the knife edge of a coke oven door

ABSTRACT

Fluid pressure, such as air, is applied to a plurality of pistons having rods that coact with and urge a flexible knife edge into ultimate sealing contact with the door jamb of a coke oven chamber. Each door is provided with a fluid header connected to cylinders in which the pistons operate, and the fluid header of each door connects to a main header extending along the coke oven battery.

' J. VAN ACKEREN APPARATUS 3,834,995 FOR APPLYING 'I'HRUST TO' THE KNIFE EDGE'OF A COKE OVEN DOOR Sept. 10, 1974 Filed larch 9,- 1973 Jam l/111111 United States Patent 3,834,995 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING THRUST TO THE KNIFE EDGE OF A COKE OVEN DOOR Joseph Van Ackeren, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Mar. 9, 1973, Ser. No. 339,598 Int. Cl. Cb 25/06, 25/16 US. Cl. 202-248 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A coke oven door is provided with a plurality of cylinder-piston assemblies having rods that coact with the sealing ring. A header, capable of carrying fluid under pressure is mounted to the door and conduits connect the header to each assembly. A condiut carrying such fluid under pressure is mounted to the battery with conduits connecting each header. Valve means is provided in each conduit to control the flow of fluid from the conduit on the battery.

For a further understanding of my invention and for features and advantages thereof, reference may be made to the following description and the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of equipment in accordance with my invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical front elevational view of the lower portion of a coke oven door incorporating an embodiment of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view along line H-II of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional coke oven door 11 is provided with a bulb angle door frame 13 to which are secured a conventional door plug 15, and a flexible sealing ring 17. The sealing ring is secured, as by studs 19, to the door frame 13 and contacts a conventional seating surface 21 of a door jamb 23.

To the door frame 13 there are secured a plurality of regularly spaced apart cylinder-piston assemblies 25. Within each assembly 25 is a piston 27 with an outwardly extending piston rod 29 that engages the sealing ring 17, as shown in FIG. 2. The piston 27 is provided with a heat resistant cup seal 31 on one side and an annular heat resistant dust seal 33 on the piston rod side and surrounding the piston rod 29.

The free end of the cylinder portion of the assembly 25 is threaded to receive a screw plug 35 that engages a conventional O-ring 37, as shown in FIG. 2. The cylinderpiston assembly 25 is provided with a tubular conduit 39 which connects to a tubular header 41 that encircles the perimeter of the door 11, as shown in FIG. 1.

At the bottom of the door 11, there is a T-fitting 43 in the tubular header 41 and one portion of a Snap-Tite quick disconnect fitting 43 is secured to the header 41; the disconnect fitting 43 is a conventional fitting made by Snap-Tite, Inc. of Union City, Pennsylvania, and marketed under the trademark Snap-Tite. Those skilled in the art 3,834,995 Patented Sept. 10, 1974 will understand that any other suitable type of fitting may be used if such is preferred.

A length of flexible hose 45 which carries a mating portion of the Snap-Tite coupling is secured at one end to a main fluid conduit 47 that extends along the length of the coke oven battery at a location below the bottom of all doors on the battery. Fluid under pressure, such as air, is carried in such conduit 47.

A suitable support 49 and removable clamp 51 is provided at strategic locations on the door frame 13 for supporting the tubular header 41, as shown in FIG. 1.

In operation, it will be assumed for the purpose of this description that an oven has been pushed and that both oven doors have been replaced and relatched. The benchman would then connect the flexible hose 45 to the fitting 43 whereby, immediately, the header 41 is also pressurized with air. The pressurized air in the header 41 exerts equal pressure on all pistons 27 which move toward and exert equal force on the sealing ring 17. Thus, the door is sealed for charging and during coking of coal in the oven.

When the oven is to be pushed, the benchman manually disconnects the flexible hose from the fitting and immediately the air pressure in the header drops to ambient pressure. The Snap-Tite fitting is so made that when it is disconnected, a valve in the portion connected to the flexible hose closes and prevents fluid, such as air, from escaping. When connection is made to the other portion of the fitting attached to the header on the door, the valve opens automatically, thereby admitting fluid to flow through the connection into the header. Fluid pressure in the door header creates equal pressure on the pistons and on the sealing knife edge.

. From the foregoing description of one embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art should recognize many important features and advantages of it, among which the following are particularly signifiacnt:

That the force applied by the several pistons of each door against the knife edge sealing ring is always constant and of a known value; whereas, in prior art devices which utilize springs in such cylinder-piston assemblies, the forces exerted by the springs are not equal;

That the conventional door latching mechanism can be simplified because no work is required for latching and unlatching against spring exerted thrust against the door jamb since there is no force exerted against the sealing ring until after the door is latched and no force is exerted against the sealing ring when unlatching takes place;

That flexure of the sealing ring is greatly reduced each time the door is removed and replaced when compared to the flexure experienced with doors fitted with conventional spring plungers; and

That, in some instances, the fluid connection, that is suggested as being manually accomplished herein, may be made automatically.

Although the invention has been described herein with a certain degree of particularity it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only as an example and that the scope of the invention is defined by what is hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coke oven door of a battery having a flexible knife edge sealing ring around its periphery for engagement with a door jamb, the improvement comprising:

(a) a plurality of cylinder-piston assemblies mounted to the frame portion of said door in such a way that a piston rod projecting from each of the said assemblies is adapted to coact with said sealing ring when said door is latched in place;

(b) means for exerting uniform equal fluid pressure on each one of said pistons rods, whereby said piston 3 4 rod urges said sealing ring against said door jamb in a (b) a header capable of carrying fluid under pressure sealing relationship. mounted to said door with fluid conduits connected 2. The invention of Claim 1 wherein: to said assemblies; (21) said means includes a fluid conducting header (c) aconduit carrying said fluid under pressure mounted capable of carrying fluid under pressure mounted to to said battery; said door with fluid conduits connected to each of 5 (d) fluid conducting means for connecting said conduit said assemblies. on said battery and said header on said door; and 1 3. The invention of Claim 2 including: (e) valve means for controlling the flow of such fluid (a) a conduit carrying said fluid under pressure mounted from said conduit on said battery.

to said battery; (b) fluid conducting means for connecting said conduit 10 References Cited on said battery and said header 011 said (1001; and UNITED STATES PATENTS z'j gffggf i jgg such "3,448,014 6/1969 Wolff 202-243 battery 3 630 853 12/1971 G 202 24s 4. In a coke oven door of a battery having a flexible 287817O 3/1959 knife edge sealing ring around its periphery for engage- 15 orsans ment with a door jamb, the improvement comprising:

(a) a plurality of cylinder-piston assemblies mounted to FOREIGN PATENTS the frame portion of said door in such a way that a 510,196 10/1930 Germanypiston rod projecting from each of the said assemblies is adapted to coact with said sealing ring when said 20 NORMAN YUDKOFF Pnmary Exammer door is latched in place; D. EDWARDS, Assistant Examiner 

